If you’re a neutral, a match between Harpenden and Colchester ought to be near the top of your list of ‘must watch’ games.

When the two sides meet, spectators are treated to pulsating affairs full of suspense and late drama.

With two minutes left on the clock Harps were 10 points adrift of the Essex side, but by the time the two sides left the field it was the visitors who walked off with a tinge of disappointment that a conversion at the death couldn’t guide them to a win at the first time of asking at level 5.

Harps set off playing into the fair breeze that was rolling down the pitch. Quickly they found themselves under the cosh as Colchester carried and defended with a great deal of physicality.

This paid off shortly afterwards with a try from an effective catch and drive lineout move.

The constant Colchester pressure was met with strong resistance from the Harpenden defence. Lacey and Attfield particularly putting their hands up to tackle anything that moved.

Once the threat of the home side has been soaked up, Harps turned their hand to attack. Building phases, winning penalties and causing a multitude of problems for the home team. Eventually a series of pick and goes ended in Ben Campion crashing over from short range.

Despite the wind, Harpenden came again with some neat interplay between Ward and Attfield eating up the yards before Ed Mason was let loose to finish off a lovely move.

As half time beckoned Colchester were able to ride out a ten minute stretch with 14 players and picked up three points from a penalty kick to leave the score at 10-14 at the interval.

Despite the favourable wind, Harpenden weren’t able to activate their kicking game as much as they would have liked and with Colchester keeping ball in hand, the momentum was firmly in the home side’s favour. They were able to make the pressure pay, scoring their second try and a successful conversion to put them into a 17-14 lead.

As the half wore on, the hot weather and high pace of the game was beginning to set in as both sides looked to their substitutes to bring some more energy to the affair.

Colchester were able to seize the initiative and after a number of forays into the Harps twenty two and a further try and conversion out them ten points to the good with less than 10 minutes to play.

Harpenden punched and probed in their efforts to take home at least a losing bonus point and with under three minutes to play had the opportunity to go for goal to guarantee some return from their efforts.

Rather take the three, Johnson kicked to the corner and from the resulting line out, the ball was eventually spread wide and drilled into space from the boot of Boynes. Atkinson was hot on the tails of his opposing winger and when the ball evaded a Colchester player, he was quick to pounce. As the hurried drop goal conversion attempt went wide, the blacks had one more play to try and salvage a draw or a win from the last play of the game.

The kick off drifted into to touch and the centre field scrum gave Harps the chance to strike, Mitchelmore released Boynes to put Colchester on the back foot. A penalty to Harpenden then edged them closer to line with a lineout and the resulting pick and goes saw Ward muscle his way over to put the teams level.

With the conversion missed, Harpenden walked away from the field with a three point return from their first outing in level 5.

Late drama, suspense and a huge amount of character from the visitors. For the neutrals, mark down 11th March for the return fixture at Redbourn Lane.

Chances are you will not be disappointed!

Harpenden: McKenzie-Cardy, Sims, Campion, Lacey, Scott, Attfield, Wilkinson, Ward, Mitchelmore, Johnson, Tait, Mason, McClean, Shaw, Boynes
Reps: McSporran, Sweeney, Atkinson

Photo: @Jamcelphotos